chamberlain



A. J CHAMBERLAIN Sept. 29, 1931.-

CAN CLOS ING MACHINE Original Fil-ed Nov 26, 1926 INVENOR Nfred J. Cbambeflom.

ATTORNEY Reiasued Sept. 29, 1931 UNITED STATES ALFRED J. CHAMBERLAIN, or I MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN CAN CLOSING MACHINE Original No.'1,788,659, dated January 13, 1931,'Seria1 No. 150,654, filed November 26, 1926. Application for l reissueflled August 1, 1931. SerialNo. 554,558. 1 v

This invention relates to. portable can closing machines especially designed for use in applying covers or closures to cans and clamping, or bending ffianges orlugs on the covers into engagement with beads or flanges onhthe neck; of the can.

.One of the principal objects of the invention is toprovidea machine ofv this character which is portable in, that it is adapted to be :a'rriedYfrom' can to can and successively used onthe cans to, secure the covers to the cans in, such manner as to close and seal the cans and which is so constructed and organized that the operator of the machine may lift or carry the machine from can to can and easily and-quicklysoperate it to secure the covers to the cans without changing. his grip onthe machine.

Another object is to provide a portable can closing machine having those adv'antagesand capacities and which while being of simple anddurable construction, is positive, reliable and ,convenientin operation and easy and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objectsand advantages reside in certain novel features of the construction, arrangement and combination of parts which willlbe hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, rferencebeing had tothe' accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and'in which ,Figure-lis a view partly in diametrical vertical section and-partly in side elevation showing a portable can closing machine emhodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is;a view partly in plan and partly in section on line2-2 of Fig. 1, with certain of. the parts omitted for the sake of simplicity inillustration; and

Figure 3-is a fragmentary detail sectional view 'showi'ngone way in which the cover may be sealed on the can.

Referring, to the drawings wherein for the sake of illustration is shown one embodiment of- ,the'invention, it will be seen that the portable can closing machine comprises a head 1 having the-,form ofa -plate and provided around its periphery with a passive die 2.. All around the upper and outer portion of the periphery of the head 1, pairs of apertured pivot ears 3 are provided and on these pairs of pivot ears. 3, active dies 4 are pivotally mounted, the dies 4 having apertured hubs 5 receiving pivot pins 6 passing through the apertures of the hubs and the apertures of the associated pairs'of ears.

A fixed mounting shaft 7 is carried by the head, the shaft 7 having a reduced lower end 8 received in an apertured boss 9 provided therefor on the head 1. A nut 10 is threaded on the reduced end 8 of the shaft 7 and is engaged with the head 1 or with a washer interposed between the nut 10 of the headl' for the purpose of securing the mounting shaft 7 fixed on and rigid with the headl As shown in the drawings, the nut 10 is received in a recessprovided therefor in the head.

An actuating member designated generally at 11" is provided and has a bearing portion 12 of tubular form, the bearing portion 12 being slidably fitted on the shaft This acg tuating member also has a downwardly and outwardly extending or flaring body portion 13 which may be recessed or cut away as at 14 to lighten it, and ribbed as at 15 to strengthen it. As shown,'theactuating member is of substantially conical form.

Motion transmission means is providedfor actuating the active die members from the actuating member'and this motion transmission means preferably comprises toggles between the lower enlarged end of the actu-.

ating member and the active dies. Each toggle preferably comprises'anarm'16 integral with or otherwise suitably'fixed to the hub 5 of its active die 1, the arm 16 extending upwardly from the hub f its active die 4 and having its upper end pivotally connected as at 17 to one end of each member of a pair of toggle links18, the other end of each member of the pair of toggle links 18 being pivotally connected as at19 to an apertured pivot ear 2O integrally formed with the lower enlarged endofthe body portion 15 of the actuating member 11. It is tobe understood that one such toggle mechanism is provided between the actuating member and each active die. 1

The bearing portion 12 of the actuating member is provided with diametrically opposite and longitudinally extending slots 21 in which a pair of gear elements, preferably ment 22 and projects radially therefrom, the

outer end of each combined operating member and handle 26 being provided with a handgrip 27.

For the purpose of limiting the movement of the actuating member 11, the toggles 16, 18 and the active dies 4, stops are integrally formed with the headl adjacent the ears 3 and have faces 31 engageable with the links 18 and faces 32 engageable with the arms 16. 7 As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the portable can closing machine is employed for applying a cover C to a can C and bending in under a bead or flange F of the can a suitable engaging-member or members M on the cover. 0 Usually a. gasket G is interposed between the the can. Before using theportable can closing machine constituting the present invention, covers are placed in position on the cans andthe machine is then brought to bear 5 successively on the cans. In applying. the machine to the cans the head 1 is placed againstthe body of the cover C, as shown in Fig. 1, and in such position the passive die 2 3 engages the rim of the cover and theactive 0 dies 4are positioned to be engageable with the engaging member M of the cover. At

such timethe actuating member 11, links 18 and arms 16 are positioned as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, the actuating member being pulled upon the shaft 7, the links 18 being only slightlyinwardly inclined from the vertical and the arms 16 being held su'bstantially vertical by virtue of their engage ment with the faces 32 of the stops. In handling the machine the operator grips the grips 27 which are disposed vertically and in proximity to each other when the machine is being handled or carried from can to can. After being placed on a can cover the grips are spread apart and pressed downwardly whereby the gear segments are rotated about their axes and are caused to roll down along their racks 25., The rolling of the gear segments advances the 1 actuating member '15 downwardly and the downward movement of the actuating member 15 is transmitted in a positive, direct and forceful manner and with mechanical advantage to the active dies which bend the engaging members M of the cover 5 into closing and sealing engagement with the gear segments 22 are operatively fitted, each gear segment being pivotally connected as rim of the cover and the-rim or bead of under side or rim or bead of the can. The combined operating and handle members together with the gears, rack and actuating I member enable a powerful and positive actuating force to be transmitted to the dies with i an eas and convenient movement ori the part 0 the operator. This effective and desirable action is contributed to and enhanced bythe feature of having the. elongated and downwardly and outwardly flaring actuating member which permits of the use of short rigid links between the actuating member and the arms of the active dies; It is to ;be noted that the elongated and downwardly and outwardly flaring actuating member enables the relatively short links 18 "to bedisposed at a relatively small angle with respect to the horizontal during the final phases of. thebending or crimping so that they exert a powerful outward thrust on the arms 16' at such time. K mits the links 18 to swing past the horizontal or dead center position with a self-locking efi'ect whereby not only are the parts held in adjusted position, but also the operator is advised that the operation has been completed. The movement of the links 18 to a position just past the dead center is limited by the engagement of the links18 with the faces 31' of thestops 30. Figure l'illustrates in full lines'the position'of the links 18 in horizontal dead center positionand in dot andj-dash-i lines the self-locking positiomof the links just past dead center.

Preferably a spring is provided and ensize and strength andso tensioned that'it does not offer any material resistance to the eration of the device when the handles 27 are swung outwardly and downwardly as described. i j

While the invention as'shown and described as being especially designed andadapted for use in a portable can,closing'machinefltgis to be understood that it may be embodied in va rious types of can closing machines. and especially in a can closing machine of the base and pedestal type. This universal adaptability is especially true of the features and advantages inherentin the conical actuating member andjtheshort slightly angled links between the guiding member and the active dies. 8 While but one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, of course, va-' rious changes may be made in the size, shape Moreover, this organization per its lie

and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. A portable can closing machine comprising a head carrying a passive die, active dies pivoted to the head, a mounting shaft fixed to and extending upwardly from the head, an actuating member having a bearing portion slidably mounted on the shaft, and a body portion extending downwardly and outwardly from the bearing portion, motion transmission means between the lower end of the body portion and the active dies, racks on the shaft, said bearing portion having opposed slots, gear segments operating in said slots and rotatably mounted on the bearing portion, and combined handles and operating members fixed to said gear segments.

2. A can closing machine comprising cooperating dies, an actuating member having a portion of substantially conical form and toggles between the large end of the conical portion of said actuating memberand certain of the dies, said toggles including relatively short links connected to the actuating member, said links being slightly angled from the horizontal in the final phases of the op- )I'El-tlOIl.

3. A can closing machine comprising cooperating dies, an actuating member having a portion of substantially conical form and toggles between the large end of the conical portion of said actuating member and certain of the dies, said toggles including relatively short links connected to the actuating member.

4. A can closing machine comprising coperating dies, an actuating member having a portion of substantially conical form and toggles between the large end of the conical portion of said actuating member and certain of the dies, said toggles including links coniected to the actuating member, said links being slightly angled from the horizontal in the final phases of the operation and being swingable to a self-locking position just past dead center as the operation is completed.

5. A can closing machine comprising a head carrying a passive die, active dies pivoted to the head, a shaft fixed to and extending upwardly from the head, an actuating member having a tubular bearing portion slidably receiving said shaft and having a flaring body portion extending downwardly and outward- 1y from said tubular bearing portion, substantially upright arms fixed to the pivoted dies, and links between the lower large end of the actuating member and the arms, said links being angled only slightly with respect to the horizontal during the final phases of the operation.

6. A portable can closing machine comprising a head carrying a passive die, active dies pivoted to the'head, a mounting. shaft fixed to and-extending upwardly from the: head,

an actuating member having: a bearing porfaces engageable with the arms and faceszengageable with the links whereby to limit the movement of the actuating member, toggles and active die assembly in either direction, and means for shifting the. actuating member along its mounting shaft.

7. A portable can closing machine comprising head carrying apassive die, active dies pivoted to the head, a mounting shaftfixe'd to and extending upwardly from the head,

actnatingmember having a bearing portion slidably mounted on the shaft and a body portion extending downwardly andoutwardlyfrom the bearing'portion, toggles between the lower end of the body portion and the active dies, said to es including 0 tab n arms connected. with the active dies and l1nks between the arms. stops carried by the head and operable to limit the movement of the actuating member, toggles and active dies, and means for shifting the actuating member along the mounting shaft.

8. A portable can closing machine comprising a head carrying a passive die, active dies pivoted to the head, a mounting shaft fixed to and extending upwardly from the head, an actuating member having a bearing portion slidably mounted on the shaft and a body portion extending downwardly and we outwardly from the bearing portion, toggles between the lower end of the body portion and the active dies, said toggles including arms connected with the active dies and. links between the arms, stops carried by the head and operable to limit the movement of the actuating member, toggles and active dies, and means for shifting the actuating member along the mounting shaft and comprising racks formed on the shaft, gear segments pivotally mounted on the actuating member and cooperable with the racks, and combined handles and operating members fixed to said gear segments.

' 9. A portable can closing machine for use 1n securing a cover to a can and comprising a head plate adapted to engage the cover of a can, dies pivoted on said head plate, a mounting shaft structure having its lower end secured to the plate and extending upwardly from the plate and provided with fixed racks on its opposite faces, a die actuating member having a bearing portion slidably mounted on the shaft structure and having a body portion extending outwardly from the bearing ortion, links connecting the lower end of t e bod portion and said dies, gear elements rotata 1y mounted on the actuating. member and meshed with the racks 5 to roll 'therealong and combined handles and operating members fixed at their inner ends tothe'gear elements and extending radially therefrom' and operable when spread to actuate the dies and when moved toward each other to retract the dies and facilitate the V transportation of .Zthe machine from one can to another. I

"-10. A can closing machine comprising a.

base adapted to engage with the can cover, a r

double rack extending upwardly from the base, a sleeve slidably mounted on said rack, jaws pivotally mounted around the base and adapted to coact therewith for closing the cover, links pivoted to the jaws and to the 29 sleeve, brackets on said sleeve, gears pivoted in said brackets and engaging with the racks, and hand levers secured to the gears.

In testimony whereof, I hereto aflix my signature.

ALFRED J. CHAMBERLAIN. 

